Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
UNESCO's Director-General visited the organization's Regional Office in Bangkok to explore an exhibition developed under the Sustaining Our Oceans initiative. The exhibition uses virtual reality technologies, including a virtual 'diving library,' to help children connect with UNESCO biosphere reserves in Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
On 16 May, the Director-General hosted a high tea with private sector leaders from airlines, hospitality, and cultural institutions to activate the COMPASS Strategic Innovation Board. This board will enable collaboration between UNESCO and the private sector to design innovative financing models supporting culture- and creativity-driven sustainable tourism in Asia and the Pacific.
COMPASS builds on a memorandum of understanding signed with UN Tourism in March 2026, aiming to direct part of tourism revenue toward heritage conservation, promotion, community livelihoods, and skills development. With nine UNESCO Creative Cities, eight World Heritage sites, and a strategy focused on quality, Thailand is the programme's first regional partner.